1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for the production of continuous composite materials from unidirectional reinforcing fibers and from thermoplasitics, wherein a longitudinally moved bundle of parallel continuous reinforcing fibers is preheated and impregnated with a continuously supplied thermoplastic melt, and whereupon the continuous composite material thus formed is cooled.
The invention relates, furthermore, to an apparatus suitable for carrying out a method of this kind.
2. Description of Related Art
A method of this kind is disclosed in DE 41 12 129 A1. In this German document, melted thermoplastic is applied to a moved fiber bundle from a fixed point; the fiber bundle is then impregnated with the thermoplastic, whereby at most 3% by weight of the plastic may be stripped off.
EP 0,102,159 B1 discloses a comparable method, in which viscosity-reducing additives are used in order to lower the melt viscosity.
EP 0,287,427 B1 and EP 0,415,517 A1 disclose methods, in which, in order to be impregnated, the fiber bundles are drawn in the region where the outlet of the thermoplastic melt is located by baffles.